Draw Specialists West Brom’s Frustrations Continue

On Saturday, a 1-1 draw at Deepdale against Preston North End continued West Brom’s remarkable drawing run. Carlos Corberans’ side has now had nine stalemates in ten games, and they were booed following the final whistle on the weekend.

They have drawn over 50% of their Championship matches this campaign (10 in 18). That tenth game, an away win at Hull, means the Baggies are, in fact, unbeaten in ten games, which is, on the surface, an impressive feat. However, an inability to see off opponents and be clinical in front of goal leaves more questions than answers in B71. Fans are understandably becoming increasingly frustrated with the recent run of results.

After getting off to a flying start, with five wins and a draw in the first six, West Brom flew to the table’s summit. But, as an embodiment of the long slog of the EFL season, they quickly came back down to earth. Back-to-back losses against Sheffield Wednesday and Middlesborough as September transitioned into October brought the leading pack back together. In the next half dozen encounters following those losses, Albion endured four goalless draws and two 1-1 ties. A point against tough opposition like Burnley, Millwall and Blackburn can be perceived as a point gained. The points dropped to those lower down in the table struggling for form are where the impatience occurs.

Striker Josh Maja, formerly of high-flying Sunderland, began his campaign with a hat-trick away at QPR. He proceeded to open his account with seven in seven upfront. Even now, he is still the league’s second top scorer with ten goals, only behind the prolific Borja Sainz, who has netted 15 for the Canaries in Norfolk thus far. It’s astonishing that despite West Brom’s goalscoring woes, Maja still has the second-most goals in the Championship.

Karlan Grant has chipped in with four goals of his own, but a distinct lack of quality within the final third in most Albion games leaves supporters with minimal optimism about a goal fest. Before their home game against Norwich on the 23rd of November, The Hawthorns had seen just three goals in seven games, by far the lowest in the division. Even after that 2-2 draw against Norwich that day, it only takes the total to seven goals in eight, less than one goal a game. The Baggies sit 20th at the home table despite losing only one game to Middlesborough, a quality outfit. The five draws are a cause for concern, but how long can Corberan get away with not winning games?

The Spaniard’s men have had much more success away from the West Midlands this term; only Burnley has a better away record. West Brom have conceded just twelve goals this season, 25% of which came against Sheffield Wednesday in one of their two losses. Only the top two, Sheffield United and Burnley, have conceded less, nine and six respectively. Albion has been sure enough at the back. Palmer, in between the sticks, is an impressive and reliable shot-stopper. The 28-year-old academy product has cemented himself as number one since his debut for the club in October 2022.

Incidentally, West Brom has been without their three main centre-backs lately, with Kyle Bartley, who returned against Sunderland last week, Semi Ajayi, and summer signing Paddy McNair all missing time. However, their injuries coincided with the return of Mason Holgate, who entered into his second spell with Albion this term. Norweigan international Torbjorn Heggem, signed as the replacement for summer departure Conor Townsend, impressed early on in his tenure.

He was forced to move inside to left full-back to fill in the centre-half void and had been admirable in shifting his playstyle to a more central position. Bartley is a commanding presence not just in the back line but across the pitch and the dressing room. He is an experienced leader whose place in the starting XI was missed while he battled a setback. His return will only bolster the Baggies’ defence, but that is not the problem.

West Brom certainly have the clientele to score goals. The likes of Grady Diangana, Tom Fellows, and Mikey Johnston, as do Maja and Grant, have extensive creative abilities. It can’t all be blamed on tactics and managerial prowess, but it must be part of the problem. Corberan may need to innovate and find new ways to exploit opposing defences. An XG (expected goals) of 0.46 and 0.51 in Albion’s last two games highlights the team’s inability to create chances, let alone score them.

A couple of January signings may aid West Brom’s attacking threat, but that comes after a busy festive month, which starts and ends with matchups against top-of-the-table Sheffield United. Due to recent financial difficulties, a lack of disposable income from the board means January recruitments could be few and far between.

So, what next for a West Brom team looking to finish the season with a playoff spot? Those are realistic expectations that Corberan and the fans can have in a strong division. Would fans sacrifice the stingy defence for more goals? It is an intriguing dynamic that will be tested with the upcoming fixture congestion.